Torn Beginnings
by A Amelia Black
Summary: Six disciples to Ansem the Wise, by delving into the darkness, became lost to the darkness themselves, giving birth to Organization XIII. This is their story.
1. Xehanort

**Disclaimer: Nothing is owned by me. Ansem reports are from the game, etc. :D You know the drill**

**A/N: First, I just want to say thanks for taking the time to check this out! I hope that you will enjoy this and come away with a little more knowledge about the beginnings of Organization XIII, etc**

**I did research this, looking up the Ansem reports and everything from KH1, CoM, and KH2, because I really do want to try and keep this as much to canon as possible. The way we figure, Nobodies´ personalities are slightly different then their human personality, and so I´m playing that off here.**

**I´m thinking about possibly doing the first 6 chpts in each of the disciple´s viewpoints. What do you think?**

**Your reviews, thoughts, suggestions, ideas, fav parts/characters etc, are extremely welcomed and very much appreciated!**

**I wish to know if this is worth continuing (is incredibly nervous, one of my first KH fics here)**

**

* * *

**

**1: Xehanort**

A man walked the streets of a glorious world, a world that was lush and green, and where the people were always smiling, their faces full of hope. This man, Ansem the Wise, the ruler of this world, had brought it into this radiant being. Which was why the world was named, rightly, Radiant Garden.

He often went walking on clear nights such as this one, the cool air refreshing and the stars shining brightly overhead. He was a scientist by nature and as such, he observed even the tiniest detail. His world was beautiful, with its brightly-coloured flowers and its pure, flowing water. But at the same time, something lurked behind all the beauty and peace. Darkness. There was a darkness in people's hearts. He had seen what it had done to other worlds and vowed not to allow it to happen to his. But to discover this darkness in people's hearts, to truly understand it, he would need to gather a group of researchers, disciples, to help figure out the workings of the heart. He already had two, but he wanted four more at least. _But I must proceed with caution, for I wish to take time in gathering those that will be loyal to me and my experiments. _

He paused at the crossroads, by a fountain and became lost in a memory of an event that had happened six years ago.

_He was walking the streets on his nightly stroll when he saw a figure lying in a heap in the street that led into the square at the center of town. Frowning, he hurried over to the small figure, his white robes flowing behind him. He knelt beside the boy. Yes, it was merely a child, perhaps ten at the most. The boy had obviously collapsed and this concerned him. He looked around to see if anyone was nearby, but seeing no one, he slid his arms beneath the boy and picked up the limp form, holding him against his chest in a secure grip._

"_Let's get you inside, shall we?" he said softly, looking down at the peaceful features of the unconscious boy, his face framed by chin-length, wavy, white hair. There was something about this boy, he didn't know what exactly, but it was important. He turned, carrying the boy back to the castle._

Ansem took a seat on the stone ledge that rimmed the fountain, looking out over the square and to the houses, windows aglow with light and life within. The boy, Xehanort, as he had named him, had been very peculiar indeed. The boy had possessed none of his memories, remembering nothing of what had happened until the point he had collapsed in the street. However, the boy's mind had been far beyond anyone of his age. Even now, at the age of sixteen, Xehanort possessed a remarkably inquisitive mind. _He took in my teachings effortlessly, learning and surpassing even my wildest imaginings. His ability to grasp all these facts, deepening his knowledge, is truly amazing. I will speak to him of my theories, of this darkness in people's hearts, and listen to his thoughts. Though underdeveloped in maturity, given his young age, his mind is that of someone far older._

Standing, Ansem left the square to continue his walk, thinking about what the future possibly could hold in store for this world and all the others.

--------

Ansem, indeed, spoke to Xehanort once he returned and they discussed the possible experimentation well into the night. Xehanort offered himself as a test subject for Ansem to use to delve deep into the heart and find what was locked within. Even, his other disciple, seemed to have a particular interest in trying to retrieve Xehanort´s memories as well. Though there was a small part of him that worried. Ansem couldn't help but wonder if there was something else there, lurking in Xehanort´s heart, for the boy truly possessed a rare quality. One that far surpassed any human he had ever met. Whether that was good or bad, he would find out.

In the meantime, over the next two years, while his psychological experimentation continued with Xehanort, Ansem would recruit four other disciples. Braig: a man entering his forties, very talkative, and former mercenary with a mind as sharp as his shooting skills. Dilan: a more soft-spoken man, mid-thirties, possessing a knowledge of experimentations and an eagerness to learn more. Elaeus: a tall, muscular man of only twenty-five, but despite his quietness, quite knowledgeable. He was the one that often spots the tiniest errors in calculations and in their experiments. Finally, Ienzo: the youngest of all his disciples, at a mere age of seventeen, one year younger than Xehanort presently. An enthusiastic researcher, even more so then his other disciples, Ienzo possessed a keen mind for strategy and calculations, abilities critical to the success of his experiments.

Little did Ansem know that while his own experiment was being performed, the disciples would gather together under the leadership of Xehanort to perform their own experiments. Guided by Ansem´s research of the darkness in people´s hearts, they would use this knowledge to discover the true darkness and what lay beyond.

-------

Xehanort stood on one of the many balconies of the castle, looking out over the land that stretched far below him. The world of Radiant Garden was one of peace but something not so peaceful stirred in its depths, in an underground facility made specifically for an experiment with darkness. Or, rather, one designed to target the heart and discover its inner workings. It was a risky undertaking but Xehanort was no fool. He knew the risks but he also knew that this could quite possibly be their greatest discovery.

_This world doesn't even realize what is happening, just beneath the surface. Foolish world,_ he thought, his lips curving upwards slightly into a smirk. His hands rested on the cool, stone surface of the balcony rail, a light breeze washing over him. His long, white hair shifted in the breeze, the air feeling refreshing against his face. It had been getting rather stuffy down in the lab, what with Even and Ienzo snapping at each other every other minute. Even had a way of becoming very protective of his part of the lab, always fiddling with vials and his own experiments, which Ienzo seemed to find annoying, especially when he hadn't slept much. Though Xehanort didn't think the youngest of the apprentices was far different from Even, working with his various puzzles. It was true that Ienzo seemed to be the risk-taker of their small, elite group. He had spoken to Xehanort on several occasions about other paths they could be taking, other horizons they had yet to explore, and he had been the one who had initially spoken to Master Ansem about creating the underground facility in the first place.

But then Xehanort would have to remind him that Ansem was more cautious then them and for now, they had to do what the man wished. _We appear to be doing the research that Master Ansem wishes us to perform but at the same time, we have begun our own experiment with the darkness. And I am eager to test my theory._

The sound of voices brought Xehanort out of his thoughts and he looked down to see a group of people walking across the bridge, heading into the castle. _I wonder who has come to visit today,_ he thought as he turned away from the view of the expansive gardens far below and the city beyond. The sky was too clear, the day too warm, and the birds too chipper for his tastes. He walked back into the castle, making his way through the cool, dark corridors.

_The six of us make quite the team. Even now, our experiments continue. Even if we do use ourselves as test-subjects, that is the only way to perform to the utmost of our capabilities. While one of us tries yet another vial, another watches and observes, recording what is seen. We're so close, I can almost taste it. And if Braig was successful in accumulating the test subjects, the six of us may yet have the chance to witness proof of our theories._

Xehanort's amber eyes glowed intensely with anticipation in the dimness of the corridor. He smiled softly, remaining the calm, well-mannered man that everyone knew him to be. Making his way down into the lower levels of the castle, he finally came to a large door. Unlocking it with a swipe of his identity card, Xehanort entered the secret laboratory and walked over to the edge of the balcony he currently stood on. Resting his hands on the cool, metal railing he looking down into their laboratory, he watched as the other five members of his team continued to work, preparing for their experiment. Yes, _his_ team. Though he was by no means the oldest out of their elite group, he had slipped effortlessly into the position as their leader.

His gaze traveled over his team, pausing for a few moments on each of them. Braig was the oldest out of their team and wore an eye-patch over his right eye, a jagged scar running down the other side of his face. His long, black hair was always tied back by a leather band at the nape of his neck. Braig was probably the most sarcastic one out of the group but he also brought humour to their long days. He was currently in the process of checking up on the others, pausing near Dilan, who was finishing up his observations from their last experiment.

The test subjects' hearts had collapsed. A shame, for they had been so close! Perhaps if they had used stronger hearts…it would have made a difference. If Braig had collected the necessary test subjects, they would be able to try another experiment that afternoon. They had made several attempts to revive the test subjects, but none had worked. Therefore, Xehanort had confined the test subjects beneath the castle. There wasn't anything else he could do, since they had lost their hearts. They were mere shells and useless to him now.

His gaze drifted to the youngest member of their team, Ienzo, who was standing in front of a white board, sketching different figures and working out mathematical numbers. Ienzo paused, looking thoughtful. Xehanort watched as Elaeus, a tall, broad-shouldered man with short, dark-brown hair, walked over to Ienzo. The two began to speak and their voices drifted up to where Xehanort stood. Even above the hum of machines, the squeak of a chair being moved, and Dilan laughing at something Braig had said, Xehanort heard their voices with perfect clarity.

"See here and here," Ienzo was saying, pointing to two spots on the board, covered in his scribbled handwriting. "These two don't add up. We're so close, I can feel it!" A grin flashed across his face as his eyes studied the calculations in front of him. "Once Xehanort returns, we can start."

"And the test subjects?" asked Elaeus.

"Braig brought them in earlier. They're ready." Ienzo chewed on his lip thoughtfully, glancing at Elaeus before looking back at his board. "However, even with our preparations, one miss-calculation could throw off the entire experiment."

Elaeus nodded. "Understood." He turned his attention to the board. After a few minutes, he said, "Here," and pointed to an area on the board. "That square shouldn't be there; it needs to be down on the second line. That should fix things."

"The tiniest of errors," muttered Ienzo, quickly fixing it. He grinned up at Elaeus, who smiled in return. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Elaeus turned, walking back to the table where Even stood. Elaeus returned to aiding Even in the set-up of the second part of their experiment and Ienzo began scribbling again on the board.

Xehanort tapped his fingers idly on the metal railing before turning and walking down the stairs to the lower level of the laboratory. "Braig," he said curtly and the older man turned to look at him.

"Xehanort," he greeted in return. "We're nearly ready." Braig smirked. "I tracked down the runts you wanted. They're in the other room."

"Very good. Go prepare them. I would suggest straps this time so that they don't attack themselves like the last time."

"I agree. They went nuts last time." Braig chuckled and turned, heading to the side room, his white lab coat swirling around him. Xehanort watched until Braig disappeared into the other room and then turned, walking over to where Dilan sat, writing in his journal. "What have you found, Dilan?"

Dilan looked up at Xehanort, tucking a strand of his long, black hair behind his ear that had fallen out of his ponytail. "The hearts collapsed rather quickly but I was able to make some observations." He tapped his pencil on the paper on which he had written his observations. "We will have to be more cautious with these test subjects, but this time we have stronger hearts. Even is finishing up a treatment that can be used in the event that our experiment causes the heart to collapse too quickly, like last time."

Xehanort nodded. "Master Ansem is currently busy with visitors so we should be free to conduct this experiment without interruption." An eager smile slowly appeared on his face and he could feel his heart beat rapidly in anticipation. _Finally…we are so close…I can feel it! The last experiment failed but now we know what we did wrong and we can fix it. Master Ansem has been doing those psychological experimentations on me and the others, but once he sees the results of our efforts I believe he will be eager to continue. This could quite possibly be the greatest discovery of all time, if we can pull this off._

He walked past Ienzo, who had his arms folded over his chest, looking at the board in front of him, deep in thought. Chin-length, pale, lavender hair framed the seventeen year-old's face, his deep-blue eyes scanning the numbers on the board, calculating within his mind. _This one has a powerful mind, I will agree,_ thought Xehanort with a small smile. _He has proven quite useful._ He decided against speaking with Ienzo currently, not wanting to interrupt the mathematician at work. He made his way over to where Even stood, hunched over one of the lab tables, scribbling away furiously.

The thirty-year old paused, brushing some of his long, dark-blonde hair out of his face, and scribbled one last note. He looked at Xehanort and handed him the paper. "This is what I've noted for the recovery methods," stated Even. One could perceive Even as a very cold intellectual, given his piercing, dark-green dark gaze, but Xehanort knew that Even wasn't quite so icy as he appeared. Especially when an experiment was going well, Even could be quite enthusiastic. He didn't joke around as much as Braig and Ienzo, but he still had a good sense of humour (when he was in a good mood that is). Even always loved observing and making notes on everything they did. Xehanort had known him the longest, ever since he was young, Even had always been there. He knew that Even had an interest in his memories and for that matter, so did Xehanort. He was curious as to what his past contained and why he couldn't remember anything, not even a flicker. But that did not matter currently.

Xehanort looked down at the paper in his hands, amber eyes scanning the numbers and words. Nodding, he handed it back to Even. "Prepare vials for all of the test subjects. How long will that take you?"

"An hour at most," said Even. A small smile flickered across his lips and Xehanort could see the eagerness in his eyes. "I already have most of it prepared."

"It will most likely take that long to conduct the experiment." Xehanort glanced over at where Elaeus had been and, not seeing the broad-shouldered man anywhere, Xehanort frowned. The sound of a door swishing open caused him to look towards where Braig had gone to prepare the test subjects. Braig and Elaeus stepped out, making their way to Xehanort.

"They're ready," said Elaeus.

"One of those runts tried to bite me," scowled Braig, his golden gaze narrowed. "I would have shot him if not for Elaeus coming in and helping to restrain them."

Xehanort, too elated at the prospect of finally getting to test his theory, merely chuckled. "Then it's a good thing that Elaeus was there. If you shot all our test subjects, how would we ever get anything accomplished?" But even though Xehanort was smirking and looking amused, there was a hidden threat in his amber eyes. Braig was impulsive and that sometimes created problems, but Xehanort had talked to the older man and had made him realise that it would be a mistake to allow his temper to interrupt the experiments. Things would get rather…difficult if he didn't control his urges to shoot anything that pissed him off.

It was quite fascinating, actually, how much power Xehanort had over the other disciples, despite being younger than all of them (except Ienzo). Xehanort's presence commanded respect and while he was submissive to Master Ansem, he had his own plans in progress. He had already begun a journal under Ansem's name in which he planned to write down the different observations and hypotheses that he made during their experiments.

Xehanort looked at Ienzo. "Is everything ready, Ienzo?"

The younger man looked at him and then nodded. "I've double-checked all the calculations. We created an injection that should stimulate the darkness in their hearts, magnifying it so that we can study it. There are risks, of course."

"Worthwhile risks for our ultimate goal," said Xehanort simply, with a wave of his hand. "Let us begin."

------

"Even the strongest of hearts failed," said Xehanort, clearly frustrated as he looked upon the test subjects that lay before him. Their hearts had collapsed and even with Even's treatment, they had not recovered. Xehanort looked at the other five that made up his team. "We'll simply have to get more test subjects and try again. There must be something that we're not doing correctly."

They nodded. "And what of Master Ansem?" asked Dilan from where he sat on a stool, arms resting on his thighs. "He'll want to know any progress we've made."

"As we talked about before, there is no need for him to know of what we're currently trying to do," said Xehanort. He smiled but it came off as more of a smirk than a true smile. "I will simply inform him that we have continued the psychological experiments and show him the notes on the strength of hearts. In any case, we need to prepare the next set of experiments."

Even smiled at this, his amber eyes glittering eagerly. "I'll start right now." He stood, pausing to glance at one of the test subjects: a boy that had shown great potential but even in the end, his heart had collapsed as well. Even looked back at them. "How many more subjects do you think we can gather until someone starts noticing a great number of disappearances?"

"They're just orphans; who's gonna miss them?" chuckled Braig, folding his hands behind his head. "And the adults we used volunteered." He grinned.

"Volunteered as in forced?" smirked Dilan.

"Something like that." Braig laughed.

"There are still many more test subjects available," said Elaeus. "I wouldn't worry."

"When are you going to get more?" asked Ienzo, looking at Braig.

Braig glanced at Xehanort, who said, "Take these failed test subjects underground to where the others are confined and then retrieve more."

"Can do." Braig gave Xehanort a two-fingered salute before moving towards the door.

"Can I come?" asked Ienzo hopefully.

Braig looked at Ienzo and shrugged. "Sure, kid."

"Yes!" Ienzo nearly fell out of his chair in his hurry to get to his feet. They laughed, watching as Ienzo moved quickly to where Braig stood. "And I'm not a kid."

"You are to me," smirked Braig and then he looked at Elaeus, pointing to one of the adult test subjects. "Can you take that one? Ienzo and I will take the other two."

Elaeus nodded. "Sure." He moved over to the table, picking up the limp form of one of the adults and headed out of the room. Ienzo and Braig followed with the other two, leaving Even, Xehanort, and Dilan alone in the room.

"I'm going to get started on the preparations for the next experiment," said Even as he walked towards the door.

"While you do that, I'm going to go to the kitchens and bring us some food," chuckled Dilan as he stood. He gave them a wry smile. "We're only human, you know. Still have to eat occasionally."

Xehanort smiled softly. "This is true. Very well. I will go brief Master Ansem on our progress with his experiment. Once Braig and Ienzo return with more test subjects, we'll try yet again. Dilan, look into what caused the hearts to collapse this time. They were stronger than our last test subjects' but still they failed."

Dilan nodded. "I'll see what I can find."

Xehanort watched as Even and Dilan left. Then he turned back to the tables where the test subjects had been bound, clasping his hands behind his back. This experiment into the darkness of people's hearts had become somewhat of an obsession for him and he had noted that the others were beginning to share this obsession. Many times they wouldn't sleep, working through the night, conducting their experiments. It was the only time they really could work on their own experiments for Master Ansem only came down the laboratory during the earlier part of the day. Being ruler of the world, Master Ansem was kept quite busy, but that suited Xehanort just fine. It gave him the freedom to do what he wished and continue his own experiments.

_The heart is frail. We will have to be more cautious in the future. In our eagerness to attain knowledge of the heart, I believe that we have made errors and even the tiniest of errors can lead to larger problems._

Everything he had learned under Master Ansem's tutelage had brought him to this point. Now he was going farther than his teacher had gone and it struck a chord deep inside his body, resonating within his heart and his mind. _And one day, I will surpass him. _

------

It had been a week since their second experiment and they had conducted several more during that time. However, every single time, it seemed that the hearts collapsed far too rapidly and Xehanort didn't understand it. There was something they were missing, but none of them could figure out what.

It wasn't until he went underground with Even and Dilan to place their most recently failed test subjects in the chamber that they discovered something incredible.

Xehanort swiped his identity card, unlocking the door, and watched as it swished open to reveal the large, underground chamber in which they had been discarding the failed test subjects. He motioned for Even and Dilan to lay down those that they carried in their arms and the three of them turned to leave. Dilan and Even had already stepped out of the room but Xehanort paused in the doorway. It was far too quiet in the room. Those whose hearts had collapsed eventually regained consciousness, but they were mere shells, doing things on impulse. Which was why he had confined them here, so they would not cause chaos everywhere else.

But they at least made noise.

It wasn't until a few moments later that he heard a strange scratching noise. "Even, Dilan," he called and the other two came back into the room.

"What is it?" asked Dilan, frowning.

"Listen."

After a few moments of silence, Even's eyebrows rose. "What is that?"

"I don't know."

And then it came into the light shed from the doorway. Actually, there were three of them, if one could even call the creatures 'them'. "What the hell is that?" asked Even, startled.

"It…I have no idea," said Dilan, staring at the creatures that waddled before them.

The three creatures in front of them appeared to be creatures made entirely of darkness: black figures with glowing yellow eyes and quivering antennas. They crawled along the ground, their claws scratching across the tiled floor, acting almost like a dog would when it was sniffing out a scent.

Xehanort wasn't someone who felt fear but he did step back as one of the creatures crawled towards him. He held out an arm to keep Dilan and Even at bay. In his heart there was only morbid curiousity as he wondered exactly what these strange creatures were. This was something going in his journal.

"This is something to research further," said Xehanort, "but for now we should leave. We'll come back later to make more observations and see what we can find."

The other two nodded and they left the room, Xehanort quickly shutting the door behind them. They were silent as they made their way back up to the laboratory, deep in thought on what they had just discovered. Even when they parted, they said nothing. Xehanort made his way back to his room adjacent to the laboratory, where he kept his journals and other notes.

Taking a seat at his desk, he pulled out the journal he had planned to use, writing under Ansem's name. It was fitting to use his teacher's name for these experiments, as he had been the one who initially had begun them.

Xehanort opened the blank journal and picked up a pen, beginning to write.

**_Report 1:_**

_The experiments caused the test subjects hearts to collapse, including those of the most stalwart. How fragile our hearts are! My treatments proved no signs of recovery. I confined those who had completely lost their hearts beneath the castle. Sometime later, I went below and was greeted by the strangest sight! Creatures that seemed born of Darkness. What are they? Are they truly sentient beings? Could they be the shadows of those who lost their hearts to my experiments?_

Closing his journal, Xehanort placed it on the shelf and folded his arms on the desk, looking ahead thoughtfully, his gaze not focused on anything in particular. _Who would have thought we would have discovered something like this! It's truly remarkable!_ His heart beat quickened in anticipation of going back down to study these creatures. _I will gather the others and we will study them further. I do not know how many are there but we will use what we have. If, indeed, these creatures are sentient, perhaps we can learn from them the inner workings of darkness and how it affects the heart. Or, they could be mindless shadows, just remnants of our failed test subjects. In either case, this is fascinating._

He grinned and stood up from his desk. He didn't want to wait to learn more about these creatures and once the others knew, he was sure that they would feel the same. He left the room, his white lab coat swirling behind him as he walked quickly towards the lab, his pace quickened by his eagerness to conduct an experiment with these new creatures.

* * *

**So...what did you think? (holds breath)**

**As I said before, this is one of my first KH fics, so I am nervous about doing this. I hope to keep this as true to the storyline as possible.**

**Your thoughts are appreciated! I´d love to know what you thought of this :D**

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Braig

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, you know this :D **

**A/N: Thanks so much for all your reviews and support! I really do appreciate it and I'm glad that I'm able to give you this story. I'm having a blast writing it. **

**Once we get through the introductions of the disciples and the beginnings of the Heartless, you're going to be in for quite the ride (grin) **

**As always, your reviews, thoughts, suggestions, fav parts/characters are extremely welcomed and very much appreciated!**

**2. Braig**

**

* * *

**

**_25years ago_**

"Go! Take your brother and get to the shelter!"

The fourteen-year old boy stood there, staring at his mother. His clothes hung in rags on his rail-thin body, his short, black hair hanging in soot-covered locks around his face, his golden eyes wide with fright. _This isn't happening…it's not!_ His precious world was crumbling down around him in a rain of fire. War had been ravaging the world for nearly all of his life but it seemed that it had finally hit its climax as their village was burned down to the ground before his eyes. He watched, horror-stricken, as the fire roared around him, engulfing home after home in searing, bright-orange fire. The air was filled with acrid smoke and he coughed, finding it difficult to breathe. The smoke stung his eyes yet still he stood there, watching as the fire roared closer, along with the men with their horrible weapons, shooting anything that moved.

It was true that he loved guns. His father had taken him hunting every year up in the forest that covered the side of the mountain near their village, but this was different, far different. These people were shooting things, _people_, just because they simply existed. He felt anger bubble inside him, his hands clenching into fists, his gaze narrowing. How dare these people, these _monsters_, come into his village and do this. How _dare_ they. He'd make them pay, each and every one of them. Somehow.

His hatred-filled, golden gaze was met by one of these shooting men. The man sneered and Braig knew he would never be able to forget that face. The man had a jagged scar that ran from his right eye, across his nose, all the way down his left cheek. A black tattoo was etched into his forehead, the symbol of the man's home land.

Suddenly, someone was between him and the man, shaking his shoulders. Braig blinked a few times before his mother's face came into focus. "What are you staring at?" she admonished. "Go! Get your brother out of here before they come!"

"What about you?" asked Braig, suddenly finding his voice and realising that his heart was thundering in his chest. He looked at his mother with fear in his eyes. "They're going to get you too."

"I have to wait for your father but take Igas and run! He needs you, Braig." She pressed her dry, chapped lips to his forehead in a kiss before pulling him into a tight hug. "Be careful," she whispered before pulling back and smiling softly.

That was the last time she would say anything or ever smile at him again. For as she stood there, urging her teenage son to take his younger brother and go, the sneering man had pointed his gun at her and with one shot, ended her life. Braig heard the shot but his feet seemed rooted to the ground. He could only stare in horror as his mother's face twisted into one of shock and pain, and then her eyes rolled up in her head and she sagged against him.

"Mother? MOTHER!" he screamed, not understanding at first what had happened. Then he saw the blood and knew. His heart thudded to the ground and he felt the hot tears welling up in his eyes and streaming down his cheeks. His shoulders shook with sobs as he held his dead mother to him as he buried his face in her lilac-scented hair. Yes, even in the hazy smoke and smell of blazing fires, he could still smell the lilacs. It was the one thing that he would always remember.

When he finally lifted his head, his gaze was not one of sadness but one of anger. His golden gaze narrowed darkly and as he stood there, fires eating through the homes around him, he vowed that he would take revenge on the man who had murdered his mother in cold-blood. He would find that man and he would delight in watching him die, _very_ slowly.

"Mummy?" someone whimpered nearby, shaking Braig from his thoughts. He carefully laid his mother on the ground, knowing that he wasn't strong enough to carry her anywhere else. He hated leaving her like this, prone to the flames that inched closer by the minute, but there was nothing he could do. He had to take care of Igas. If his father didn't make it to the shelter, then Braig would be all that Igas had.

"Come on, Igas," he said quickly, picking up his six-year old brother and running for the shelter. Ever since the war had reached their village, famine had slowly begun to eat away at the village's inhabitants. Igas was proof of this. Once, his little brother had been strong and healthy, but now he was merely a bag of bones, his features gaunt, and his once bright gaze now hollow and dulled. Braig had suffered as well from the lack of food, his body becoming abnormally thin, and his muscles deteriorating from the lack of vitamins. Yet Braig knew that his parents had given him and his brother everything they could offer, sometimes going without food so that the two boys could have just enough to wet their appetites. _There's not enough food to feed a cricket,_ thought Braig bitterly as he hurried through the stone-paved streets, fires burning hotly on either side of him. He passed by so many people, their faces just a blur, the smoke making it difficult to navigate the streets.

Braig continued to cough, the smoke becoming thicker, covering the village in a dense fog. Adrenaline pumped through his body, his heart hammering in his chest as screams and shots erupted around him.

Finally, Braig spotted the stone archway that led to the underground shelter. He saw the door beginning to close. Braig willed his legs to move faster, gasping for air due to the strain on his lungs. He stumbled inside the shelter just as the man shut the door and collapsed to the ground, still holding his brother tightly to his chest. Braig fell into a fit of coughs, struggling for breath. Smudges of soot stained his face and sweat poured down his forehead and cheeks.

"You just made it son," said the man. "Here, let me help you."

Braig protested weakly as his little brother was taken from his arms but he couldn't even feel his body anymore.

"It'll be all right," said a soothing voice as strong arms were wrapped around him. And then the blackness overtook him.

--------

At twenty-nine years of age, though his body was slender and willowy, his muscles were toned and hardened from years of hard labour. His long, black hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck by a leather band, a few strands framing a face that showed no mercy. He always had his rifle slung across his back and two other guns strapped to his thighs in holsters. Around his waist he wore a utility belt that contained extra ammunition, rations for a week and two knives. After his village had been destroyed, Braig and his brother were put into an orphanage and it had been absolute hell. His brother, Igas, hadn't lasted for more than a year, his frail body giving into illness. After his brother had died, Braig grew embittered, thinking only of when he'd be able to escape and go after the man who had killed his mother and whom he felt was responsible for his brother's death. He had stolen a gun from one of the guards when he was sixteen and would often go deep into the woods behind the orphanage to practice his aim in private. Hard labour was all he knew for the next ten years of his life until finally a few of the boys (along with him) managed to escape the prison that was their orphanage.

Braig had been quickly caught up in the mercenary field and over the next five years, he had acquired several specialised weapons along with a reputation for being the best. Many sought his services and he was well off. His enemies always mysteriously wound up dead in back alleys and so far Braig had been untouched save for a single, jagged scar that ran down the left side of his face: a wound received from fighting hand-to-hand with one of his most skilled adversaries. He won in the end, but the scar served as a reminder of what could happen when he didn't have his guns in hand.

He had always been an instinctual fighter and that incident only made it concrete. He had a habit of shooting first and talking later, not always a good thing, but it hadn't failed him yet.

In his third year as a mercenary, a new ruler had come to power in this world and things began to change rapidly. His name was Ansem and known as an incredible researcher and revered as being highly intelligent. These two things, along with his knowledge gained over his lifetime, was already affecting the world visibly. Peace began to spread, ever so slowly, and on Braig's last run as a mercenary, he encountered the scar-faced man who had killed his mother. He had fought this man, Durheig, and while he had won in the end, it hadn't come without a price. Their fight had been long and difficult and Braig received a nasty blow just above his right eye, the blood blinding him on that side of his face and forcing him to wear a black eye-patch from that point forward.

The next few years served as re-training years as he learned to fight using only his good eye and perfect his aim. He never missed a shot and didn´t plan on starting anytime soon. Later that year, he was approached by Ansem, who asked him to be part of the forces that protected the castle and surrounding land. He agreed, not having much of a choice in the matter, and fought along with the rest of the soldiers against invaders. They were mercenaries, of a sort, for they rooted out the bad apples in the world. It took eight, long years, but soon the world had become peaceful. Ansem the Wise, whom everyone called a sage and loved, had succeeded in bringing peace and harmony to the world dubbed Radiant Garden. Everyone was happy and though Braig never lost his bitterness over losing his family, he had grown to appreciate the peace.

It wasn't until one, particularly warm afternoon, that Braig truly found his place. Over the years in the army, Braig had proven himself as a cunning strategist and this earned him an offer by Ansem to join his research team. The team was going to be delving into the mysteries of the heart and the darkness that slept within all people. Initially, Braig had been ready to refuse for research wasn't exactly on his list of things to do. It had actually been Xehanort, the boy whom Ansem had raised and one of Assam's disciples, who had convinced Braig that this was a worthwhile opportunity, something that could change all their lives. So Braig had accepted and from the moment he said, "I'll join your little group," he didn't know it but he had sealed his fate for what was to come.

------

After Xehanort had told all of them about Even, Dilan, and his discovery in the bowels of the castle, Braig had to see this for himself. Xehanort wanted to study these creatures and experiment to see what they could discover about the darkness that these creatures had come as a result of. So he made his way down to the lower levels, his white lab coat swirling around his legs, briefly showing black, knee-high boots and the two guns he had strapped around his thighs. He never went anywhere without his weapons and while the life of a disciple wasn't dangerous in a war-like way, it still had its risks. But he didn't care. The prospect of danger didn't scare him. In fact, it made him eager to continue and these experiments had taken on a whole new level, one that he didn't mind at all. Perhaps that was another reason why Master Ansem had recruited him to join his special team.

Braig came to a halt outside the room where they had locked all the failed test subjects and that now housed, supposedly, these creatures of darkness. Pushing open the door, he stepped inside, the light from the corridor entering the room and lighting up the first few feet. He felt something near his foot and his lightning-quick reflexes kicked in as he moved to the side and aimed a gun at the creature. Yes, it was a creature and he found himself staring at it incredulously, his finger pausing on the trigger. _What the hell _is_ that!_ Then the thing actually had the nerve to _leap_ at him!

He shot it and it disappeared into swirls of darkness. His heart was beating quickly as he looked into the dark room, wondering just what the hell had happened. As his eye adjusted to the dark, he found himself wishing he couldn't see what was in front of him. There were _swarms_ of these creatures, almost like a tidal wave, coating the entire room. Braig wasn't afraid of anything but he found himself backing out of the room and shutting the door quickly, staring at it. _Xehanort was right but does he know there are like, _thousands_ of those things!_

He turned and headed back to the laboratory in search of Xehanort. He found the younger man standing next to where Even was sitting, discussing Even's current experiment. Braig walked over to them and came to a halt behind Xehanort. "Xehanort, there's something you need to see downstairs."

Both Xehanort and Even looked at him curiously. "What's going on?" asked Even.

"Does it have to do with the creatures?"

Braig nodded. "They've multiplied and I don't mean just a few more, I mean like thousands of these things."

Ienzo, Elaeus, and Dilan had been working on calculations nearby when they heard this and made their way over to where Braig stood with Even and Xehanort. "What did you see?" asked Elaeus.

"The shadow creatures seem to have multiplied," said Xehanort, his amber eyes glowing with a morbid curiosity that Braig would only associate with that particular young man.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Dilan with a smirk. "Let's go check this out."

"Multiplying?" asked Ienzo in surprise, his eyes wide. Then he grinned. "I'm there first!" And with the energy he was known for, Ienzo took off down the corridor.

Xehanort chuckled and the others smirked. "He has enough energy for all of us," said Xehanort.

"The eagerness of youth," said Even simply as he stood from his chair. Then he turned and walked out after Ienzo.

Dilan looked at the gun still in Braig's hand. "You _shot_ one of them?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Dude, it _jumped_ at me," said Braig, motioning with the hand that held his gun. "Like I was going to just let it do that and get away with it. As if!"

"What happened?" asked Elaeus, appearing curious.

"It just disappeared into darkness," said Braig, looking at the broad-shouldered man.

"Interesting," mused Xehanort, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Let us see what our trigger-happy friend has discovered, shall we?" He chuckled before walking out.

"I am _not_ trigger-happy," muttered Braig as he followed Xehanort.

"Yes you are," said Dilan, smirking.

"As if. Shut it," retorted Braig.

Elaeus just shook his head, following the two down the corridor as they continued to bicker.

------

It was a few days later, after they had been studying the creatures of darkness, and Xehanort had just returned to his room after a lengthy observation. _They have multiplied so quickly! I'm beginning to wonder if that room will be able to hold them. Master Ansem may yet discover them and if he does, he will surely put a halt to our experimentation. I will _not_ let that happen. I have worked far too hard to get to this point and we have finally hit the jackpot! We have discovered true darkness, these creatures that seemed to have spawned from the collapsed hearts of our test subjects. After all those hours of observation, I need to write another report. We must hasten our experimentations before they are halted. I see the eagerness in my team's eyes and I know that that same eagerness resides within my own heart. After all our theories, we are nearing the climax of our entire purpose for starting this research project in the first place._

He took a seat at his desk and pulled his journal from its resting place on the shelf. Opening it to a fresh page, he took his pen and began to write.

_**Report 2:**_

_The shadows that crawl beneath the castle…are they people who have lost their hearts, or incarnations of Darkness? Or something entirely beyond imagination? All my knowledge has provided no answer. One thing that I am sure of is that they are entirely devoid of emotion. Perhaps further study will unlock the mysteries of the heart. Fortunately, there is no shortage of test samples. They are multiplying underground even as I write this report. _

_They still need a name. Those who lack hearts…_

_I will call the Heartless._

_

* * *

_

**So, what did you think? I'd love to know :D **

**Thanks for reading! **


End file.
